The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-06-30

Carolina and one from Louisiana, were actually
marching back from the fire. The First Texas
was ordered to go over them or through them,
| which they did; the remaining Texas regiments
were rapidly advanced, forming line on the right
of the ravne, aud the Third Brigade on their
right, and, pressing on the whole line came under
The Texans had now come up and joined line
| on the left, when the word was given Co charge,
and the whole line charged the
ravine with yell, General Hood and Colonel Law
CALAMITY heading their men. At the bottom ran
deep and difficult branch with scarped sides, an
swering admirably q ditch. Over against this
was strong log breastwork, heavily manned;
| above this, near the crest, another breastwork,
supported by well-served batteries and heavy
force of infantry, the steep slope, clad with an open
growth OF timber, concealing the enemy, but AZ
tording full view of our movements.
Spite of these terrible Obstacles over ditch and
breastwork, hills, batteries and infantry, the dyls-
ion swept, routing the enemy from their strong
| hold.
Many pieces of artillery were taken, fourteen in
alb and 'y whole regiment of the enemy
These prisoners were turned over by Col. j. b,
Robertson, Fifth Texas, to BrigGdier. general
Pryor, or some of his staff: The en-
with stubborn resistance, and it appeared that
we mad to do with his best TT ops
In T. meantime my division continued steadily
to advance, though suffering terribly until night
found them completely across the plateau and De-
| yond the battlefield.
| The battle very severe, hoty contested and
calamity won. take pleasure in calling speclaI.
attention to the Fourth Texas regiment, which, led
| by b iggdier General Hood. was the first to break
| the enemy's line ana enter his works. Its brave
old colonel (MarshaD fell eatly in the charge, on
the hther side of the ravine. The stubborn resist
| ance maintained all the day taltered from tnat
moment, and the day was gained;
| So closed the battle of Gaines Mill, the troops
sleeping on their arms in the position 30 hardly
| Won.h
This is the testimony of Lee and of Whiting as
to the severity of the BATTLE and as to the conduct
Al. fft,Nnn
| record to be read and admired by all men.
In this engagement the Fourth Texas enjoys the
| proud though melancholy distinction of having
lost more men, killed and wounded, than any other
regiment of tbs eighty thousand who fought be-
meath the Confederate banner in any of the seven
days battles.
have ended and the pages of his:
tory cease to bear witness to the unparalleled
! courage which it afterward displayed on many
stricken field, and yet its more than knghtly bear
ing at Gaines Farm, and just twenty-five years ago
from this very day, would well entlte 1t to place.
side by side, with those heroes who have made
| themselves immortal, and whose deeds Will dwell
| in the memory of man forever and forever
MANASSAS, AUGUST 90 AND 80, 1862.
Active operations upon James river
having ;. been discontinued 1,o by the the
be best defended by an energetic campaign against
General Pope whose forces were upon the Rapidan,
| with General jackson in close proximity
brigade were pushed forward to Jackson assist
ance. The two forces combined did not exceed
$4,000 men, while the strength OF the tederals,
under Pope was not le5s than 5000.
BY a series of movements, no less successful than
skillful, General Lee forced the second battle OF
Manassas and almost destroyed his enemy, though
there was another federal army, equal In numbers
to his own, near Alexandria and Washington, and
within one days forced march of the battlefield.
These movements eliminated in general engage
ment with Pope on the plains of Manassas, which
resulted in complete victory for the CoDfederaes.
Here we again see the Texas brigade fully main
tanning the reputation it had already acquired. Az
mOet critical moment Longstreet'e forces moved
forward to a general attack and, by their headong
courage, decided the issue. In his official report
that general says:
| "My whole line was rushed forward at charge.
The troops sprang to their work and moved for
ward with all the steadiness and rmness that char
acerZes war-worn veterans.
The attack was led by Hoods Brigande, closely
lacking columns moved steadily forward, driving
enemy from his different positions as RAPIDLY
continued until 10 O'Clock at night, when utter
darkness put stop to oHr progress. The enemy
made his escape across Bull Run before daylight
Three batteries, large number of prisoners, many
stands of regimental colors, and 1900 stands OF
arms, besides wagons, ambulances, etc., were
| taken"
heavily, indeed its list of killed and wounded
greatly exceeding that of any other regiment upon
the Confederate side.
GETTYSBURG.
Whenever and wherever disaster follows in.
stead of success and especially If 1t be serious and
unexpected severe and oftentimes unjust, criticism
ia awakened. With the policy and the result OF
this engagement, however, we have nothing to dc
1t is only of the Texas brigade that would
speak. From the most reliable authority we learn
that the strength of the Confederate army in the
Gettysburg campaign at no time exceeded fifty
eight thousand, while the federals in the en-
/, gagement at Gettysburg not only numbered fully
ninety five Thousand, bat acted entirely on the de-
fensive, occupying almost impregnable positions
In the approach of the former to the field OF battle
the brigade was the rear one of Longstreets corps
ahead to its designated place in the line of battle
which was upon the extreme right. AS usual
, Hoods brigade led in the attack.
OF this assault, General Longstreet. than whom
no more intrepid commander ever led soldiers To
, battle, says: Then was fairly commenced what
do not hesitate to pronounce the best three hours
fighting ever done by any troops on any battle
field Directly in front of us, occupying the peact
orchard on piece of elevated ground that Genera
Lee desired me to take and hold for his artillery
was the third corps Of the federals, commanded
by General Sickes. My men charged with grea
spirit and dislodged the federale from the peact
orc hard with but little delay, though they Tough
stubbornly. We were then upon the crest of Sem
mary Ridge. The artillery was brought forward
and put into position at the peach orchard.
The infantry swept down the slope and sooI
reached the marshy ground that lay between Semi
every foot of ground and against overwhelming
odds; at every step we found that reinforcemente
: were pouring into the Federals from every side.
Nothing could stop my men, however, and they
commenced their heroic charge up the side oil
Cemetery Ridge. ur attack was to progress in the
general direction of the Emmettsburg road but
the Federal troops, a5 they were FORCED from
point to point, availing themselves of the stone
fences and bOuiaers near the mountain Us rallying
= points, so aonoyed right flank that General
Hoods division was obliged to make partial
change of front TO relieve itself OF this gall
ing flank fire.
Still the battle continued to progress The situa-
ton was a critical one. Ny corps had been fight
ing over an hour, having encountered and driven
g back line after line of the enemy. In front OF
thnIt was hign and rugged ridge; its crest the
2 bulk of the army of the Potomac, numbering si2
to one, and securely resting behind strong posi-
Y tions hiy brave fellows never hesitated, how
8 ever. Their duty was in front Of them and they
met it.
: They charged up the bill in splendid style
sweeping everything before them, dislOdglng the
enemy in the face of whitening fire. When they
had fairly started up the second ridge, discovered
that they were suffering terribly from a fire tina
swept over their right and left TANKS. alst
fond that my left flank was not protected
by the brigades that were to NOV
echelon with it. McLsw5' line fwase conseque ltly
spread out TO the left to protect its flank, ant
Hoods lins WAS extended to the right to protect it
flank from the sweeping fire of the large bodies o.
troops that were posted on Round Top.
g These two movements of extension so drew n
forces out that found myself attacking Cemeter
! Hill with single line Of battle against not les
than fifty thousand troops.
NV two divisions at that time were cut down L